Intravenous stylet catheter



Dec. 28, 1965 Y. R. GUTTMAN 3,225,752

INTRAVENOUS STYLET CATHETER med oct. 25, 196s IN VENTORJ YoLAN R. GUTTMAN BY @jy 72@ ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,225,762 INTRAVENOUS STYLET CATHETER Yolan R. Guttman, 675 E. 234th St., Bronx, NX. Filed Oct. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 319,045 4 Claims. (Cl. 12S-214) This invention relates in general t-o device-s for administering intravenous therapy and, more particularly, to intravenous catheters.

Conventional intravenous catheters generally consist of an administration needle of large bore through which there is partly passed a flexible plastic tube. After the needle is inserted into a vein, the ltube is further passed through the needle and advanced into the vein. The needle is then withdrawn leaving the catheter in place. This conventional device requires the use of a very heavy guage needle since the plastic tube must pass through the bore of the needle and must have a lumen of its own suicient in size to dispense fluids, often of h-igh viscosity, into the vein. The insertion of this large guage needle is most painful particularly since patients in need of repeated transfusions are usually debilitated. In such a condition, their `tissues lack flexibility and their skin elasticity since it is depleted of subcutaneous fatty tissue. This renders the insertion of a large bore needle very diicult.

More recently a conventional needle containing a beveled opening at one end has been available with the needle portion having a short catheter disposed about it. This needle and the catheter are inserted into a vein whereupon the needle is withdrawn leaving the short catheter in the vein. This device is disadvantageous in that, as soon as the needle penetrates a vein, blood ows through the bore lof the needle yand out of its hub much to the distress of a patient. Further, the conventional needle with its bevel opening does more damage than necessary t-o the wall of a vein and is harder t-o insert.

A main object of this invention is to provide a more easily and less painfully inserted intravenous catheter.

Another object of this invention is to provide a more easily and less painfully inserted intraveneous catheter which may be of any desired length.

A further object of this invention is to provide an intravenous catheter having a stylet extend through its bore for insertion int-o a vein, the end of the catheter about the stylet having a configuration which more easily facilitates its entry with the stylet into a vein.

Many -ot-her objects, advantages and features of invention reside in the particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts involved in the embodiments of the invention and its practice as will be understood from the following description and accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of an intravenous catheter containing a stylet for insertion into a vein according to a tirst embodiment of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the catheter of FIGURE 1 with the hub portion broken away in section;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the stylet of FIGURE 1 with the rear end of the hub portion broken away in section;

FIGURE 4 is a side view of a fragment of the stylet and the end portion of the catheter disposed Iabout it;

FIGURE 5 is a side view of a stylet and an intravenous catheter assembled according to a second embodiment of this invention; and

FIGURES 6 and 7 are top views of fragments of an intravenous catheter which may be used in the second embodiment of this invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, FIGURE 3 shows a stylet 1t) having a shaft portion 11. Shaft portion 11 is fine boreless round rod that terminates in a gradually tapering completely rounded tip 12 having a sharp lancelike point. Stylet 10 has a hub portion 13 containing an opening 14 liXed to it so that the stylet 10 may be fitted on the male luer tip of a syringe `for easier insertion int-o a vein. Stylet 10 may be of stainless steel with a metal or plastic hub 13.

FIGURE 2 shows an intravenous catheter 15 having a tubular portion 16 containing a longitudinal lumen 17. A hub porti-on 18 is xed to or `formed integrally with one end of tube 16 and the hub contains an opening 19 to receive the tip of a syringe or any other equivalent apparatus for administering intraveneous therapy. The intravenous catheter tube is formed from any of the plastics conventionally used to make intravenous catheters.

FIGURE 1 shows the first embodiment of this invention assembled for use. In a sterile condition, the catheter 15 is slipped over the stylet 10. The stylet 10 is then inserted into a vein with its lance like tip 12 easily penetrating the wall lof the vein as 'it stretches about the round cross section of the stylet. As may be seen in FIG- URE 4, the end of tube 16 has a particular configuration. The end of tube 16 is cut across in a curve 20 which slopes away on each side 21 to come together at 22 bel-ow and behind the front portion 20. This particular configuration enjoys a twofold advantage. It does not have the entire diameter of the tube 16 enter a vein as an annular shoulder, but it enters considerably more gradually as front portion 20 first enters the vein followed by the side portions 21 and then the rearmost portion 22. If front portion 20 was formed in to a V-shaped point or apex, it has been found in practice that it will be iiexed backward away from stylet 10 to interfere with the easy entrance of tube 16 in to a vein. The particular configuration shown not only easily enters a vein, but also holds the front portion 20 against stylet 10 for safe, easy insertion. The actual cut end surface 23 of tube 16 may be beveled backward to ease its insertion into a vein. After insertion of the stylet 10 and the tube 16 into a vein, the stylet is removed and therapy is carried out through the catheter 15.

Referring now to FIGURES 5-7, the second embodiment of this invention has a stylet 10 substantially identical to that shown in FIGURE 3. An intravenous catheter having a tubular portion 31 of much greater length than the shaft portion 11 of stylet 10 has a hub 32 fixed to it. Hub 32 is substantially identical to hub 18 and the front end of tube 31 is substantially identical to that :shown in FIG-URE 4. A short distance from the front of tube 31, preferably about one and one half inches, the side of tube 31 contatins a longitudinal slit 33 as shown in FIGURE 6. The shaft portion 11 of stylet 10 enters tube 31 through slit 33.

In use, the second embodiment of this invention has the tube 31 of catheter 30 `inserte-d into a vein with the stylet 10. The stylet 10 is then removed from tube 31 which is then manually advanced into the vein as far as desired. When iiuids are administered through catheter 30, any slight leakage through slit 33 will be dispensed into the vein. If desired, yas shown in FIGURE 7, an elongated open-ing 34 may be formed in tube 31 to accommodate stylet 10. Slit 33 is generally preferable as it will tend to close completely upon the removal of stylet 10. This embodiment of this invention allows the insertion of a catheter of any length desired. The length of the catheter is no longer limited by the stylet 10 or other device used to insert it.

While I have shown and described my invention in the best forms known to me, it will nevertheless be understood that these are purely exemplary and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope 4of the inventi-on except as it may be more limited in the appended claims wherein.

Iclaim:

1. An intravenous catheter comprising, in combination, a flexible tube having a Wall containing a bore and having front and back ends, the front end of said tube forming a first opening, the Wall yof lsaid tube contatining a second opening Ibehind said front end, a hub -on the back end of said flexible tube, and a round rigid pointed member of substantially the same diameter as the bore yof said ube extending into said tube through said second opening and emerging through said first opening `to extend beyond the front end yof said tube so that said `member `and the front end of lsaid catheter may ybe inserted into a vein bef-ore said Imember `is removed from said tube and said tube is advanced further into lthe vein.

2. An intravenous catheter comprising, in combination, a ex'ible tube having a wall and front and back ends and containing a first yopening at said front end and a second opening in the Wall of said tube behind said front end, Ia hub o-n the |back end of lsaid flexible tube, and a stylet extending into -said tube through said second opening and extending through said Ifirst opening Ibeyond the front end of `said tube, the front end of said `tube having a transverse 'front portion which is rounded With rearwardly slop-ing sides ywhich come ltogether behind and on the opposite side of said tube from said Itransverse rounded front portion, said stylet and the front end of lsaid ca'theter being inserted finto a vein `before said stylet i-s removed cfrom said Icatheter 'and said catheter is further advanced into the vein.

3. The combination according lto claim 2 `wherein said second iopening in said tube is a longitudinal slit.

4. An intravenous catheter comprising, in combination, `a flexible tube having a vWall and front and back ends and containing a rst open-ing at said front end :and a second opening in the Wall of said itube behind said front end, a hub yon the back end of said exible tube, and a rigid ne bo'reless round stylet having a gradually `tapering completely rounded tip with a sharp lance-like point, said istylet extending into said tube through said second opening and extending `through said rst opening beyond the front end of said ltube so that said stylet and said catheter may ybe inserted into a vein `before said stylet is removed from said catheter and said catheter is further advanced into the vein.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,393,002 1/1946 Smith 12S-349 2,770,236 11/1956 Utley et al.

3,030,953 4/1962 Koehn.

3,094,122 6/1963 Gauthier et al.

3,097,646 7/ 1963 Soislowicz.

OTHER REFERENCES Cooper: Neurological Alleviation of Parkinsonism 195 6, pages 70-82 (pp. 70-73 relied on).

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

o DALTON L. TRULUCK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN INTRAVENOUS CATHETER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FLEXIBLE TUBE HAVING A WALL CONTAINING A BORE AND HAVING FRONT AND BACK ENDS, THE FRONT END OF SAID TUBE FORMING A FIRST OPENING, THE WALL OF SAID TUBE CONTAINING A SECOND OPENING BEHIND SAID FRONT END, A HUB ON THE BACK END OF SAID FLEXIBLE TUBE, AND A ROUND RIGID POINTED MEMBER OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME DIAMETER AS THE BORE OF SAID TUBE EXTENDING INTO SAID TUBE THROUGH SAID SECOND OPENING AND EMERGING THROUGH SAID FIRST OPENING TO EXTEND BEYOND THE 